Mexican Food Festival – Mexico City taqueria El Vilsito
Margarita Week will be celebrated at Manly Wharf every day across participating venues from Thursday 19 to Sunday 29 March. La Mexicana will be held from Thursday 19 March to Sunday 22 March and the following weekend from Thursday 26 March to Sunday 29 March.
Michelin Guide-recommended Mexico City taqueria El Vilsito is coming to Manly Wharf in Sydney this March. The El Vilsito team are travelling to Australia to deliver an authentic takeover as part of La Mexicana, a bespoke Mexican food festival running alongside Artemus Group’s much-loved Margarita Week.
La Mexicana will see two chefs from El Vilsito work alongside local culinary teams to prepare the taqueria’s celebrated tacos exactly as they are served in Mexico City, bringing one of the world’s most talked-about street food institutions to Australia for the first time.
Expanding on Margarita Week, La Mexicana evolves the festival into a broader celebration of Mexican flavour, culture and colour. Alongside the visiting taqueria takeover, the precincts will come alive with margaritas and Mexican cocktails across participating venues, immersive styling and entertainment designed to capture the energy of contemporary Mexican street culture.
El Vilsito is recommended by the Michelin Guide and has been widely recognised internationally, recently featuring in The New York Times’ 36 Hours in Mexico City guide, alongside its appearance in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles. The taqueria is renowned for its tacos al pastor, a beloved Mexican street food of marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit, thinly sliced and served in corn tortillas. By day, El Vilsito operates out of a mechanic’s workshop in Mexico City, transforming each night into one of the city’s most vibrant and sought-after taco destinations.
“We’ve welcomed so many Australians to El Vilsito over the years, and their love for our tacos has always stayed with us,” Blanco said. “Our family has been making food here for nearly forty years, so being able to bring our chefs and recipes to Australia and cook them in the same way we do at home feels incredibly special. We’re proud to share something that already means so much to so many Australians.”
La Mexicana will run alongside Margarita Week, an 11-day celebration of the much-loved cocktail across participating venues. In partnership with Patrón, guests can expect a range of margaritas spanning sweet, smoky, spicy and savoury interpretations, including Tommy’s margaritas and venue-specific twists.
Adam Flaskas, co-founder and director of Artemus Group, said La Mexicana reflects the group’s commitment to delivering culturally driven food experiences.
“We’ve always believed the best food experiences are grounded in culture and connection,” Flaskas said. “Having Sandra travel with the El Vilsito chefs to Australia and share not just the food, but the story behind it, allows us to celebrate Mexican culture in a way that feels honest, generous and true to where it comes from.”
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